DRIVE SHAFTS Alt 18G 1243 To: <mini-list@autox.team.net> Subject: RE: BOUNCE Driveshaft Removal Made a tool similar to but cruder than that shown in Rover Service and in Haynes, as follows: Acquire a 10inch length of cast steel, one inch internal diameter, water pipe. This is often found in scrap yards from old sprinkler systems in defunct factories. This is exactly the diameter of the drive shaft. Cut in half along length with hacksaw. Trial fit over drive shaft and adjust as necessary. Grind or file taper at one end to fit inside pot-joint boot and engage with pot joint inner. Get large lump of metal, shaped to leave internal radius of tube free, welded to opposite end to form striking plate for hammer. Ensure internal radius of tool is not obstructed. Sounds complicated, but very easy to make when you have found water pipe. Service manuals show separate threaded plate that locates in shaft groove. This plate is drilled and tapped to take screws which, when tightened abut the striker plate on the tool and thus force the shaft outwards. I find that a hammer on the striker works just as well! Regards Pete Kay.

Three different types of drive shaft are used, and the removal technique varies dependent on the type fitted. Early manual models have drive shafts which have a rubber coupling with 'U' bolts at the inboard end and a sliding joint connecting the inner flange to the main member of the shaft. Later models have an offset sphere type joint at the inboard end and the drive shaft is splined into the inner member of the joint. The joint assembly itself is a splined fit in the final drive unit stub shaft. On models with automatic transmission, the drive shaft is similar to the early manual one, but a Hardy Spicer flanged universal joint is fitted at the inboard end. NOTE: In each case the drive shaft can be removed as an assembly with the swivel hub if required. In this case the procedure given for swivel hub removal should be followed, then the drive shaft disconnected at its inboard end. Removal 1. With the car still on its wheels, remove the split pin and slacken the hub nut on the end of the drive shaft. Also slacken the wheel nuts. 2. It will facilitate disconnection of the swivel hub upper ball joint later if the rebound rubber at the upper suspension arm is removed and a solid wedge of roughly the same thickness -fitted in its place. This should be done before the car is jacked up. 3. Jack up the front of the car, and support on stands, then remove the road wheel. 4. Remove the retaining nut and disconnect the track rod from the steering arm, using a suitable joint separator tool. 5. Similarly, disconnect the upper swivel joint from the upper suspension arm. Refit the ball pin retaining nut loosely. 6. On early manual models, disconnect the inner end of the drive shaft by removing the 'U' bolts securing the rubber coupling. 7. On automatic models, remove the four bolts securing the universal joint flange to the final drive unit. 8. On later manual models with the offset sphere type inboard joint, a special tool (18G 1243), as shown in , will be required to release the inner end of the drive shaft from the joint. Assemble the tool to the drive shaft, press it hard against the inboard joint and fit the tapered pin, as shown in . Insert the 'U' shaped part of the tool into the groove on the shaft, then tighten the two bolts evenly until the drive shaft is released from the inboard joint. Remove the tool. 9. Remove the nut from the swivel hub upper joint and separate the joint from the suspension arm. Support the swivel hub to avoid straining the brake hose. 10. On models with the offset sphere type inboard joint, hold the inboard joint boot in position and at the same time withdraw the drive shaft from the joint. Push the shaft inwards and over the top of the final drive unit. 11. On the other models, prise off the larger retaining clip at the sliding joint rubber seal, turn back the seal and slide the joint flange off the drive shaft splines. 12. Remove the hub nut from the outer end of the drive shaft and carefully tap the drive shaft out of the driving flange. This should be done with a soft-headed mallet to avoid damaging the drive shaft threads. 13. Withdraw the drive shaft out of the swivel hub assembly, and then outwards away from under the car. Installation Install the drive shaft assembly in the reverse order of removing, with special attention to the following points: a) Ensure that the plastic water shield on the drive shaft is positioned 1/4 in (6 mm) from the shouldered edge of the shaft. and refer. b) On models with disc front brakes, when inserting the drive shaft into the swivel hub, ensure that the shaft locates correctly in the spacer ring between the hub bearings as it is pushed through. c) On drive shafts with the sliding joint., after assembling the joint flange to the drive shaft, secure the joint seal with a new retaining clip or iron wire. d) On models with the offset sphere type inboard joint, push the drive shaft smartly into the inboard joint to lock the shaft into the joint. It may be necessary to compress the circlip in the end of the shaft to enable it to enter the joint. The special tool for compressing the circlip is shown in , but this can also be done using two small screwdrivers. e) With the rubber coupling type inboard joint, new locking nuts should be used on the 'U' bolts. Tighten the nuts equally until approximately 1/16 in (1.6 mm) of thread protrudes beyond the nuts. f) Tighten the swivel hub ball pin nut to 38 lb ft (5.3 kg m), and the track rod ball pin nut to 22 lb ft (3.0 kg m). g) Once the car is lowered back onto its wheels, tighten the drive shaft nut and secure with a new split pin. The nut should be tightened to 60 lb ft (8.3 kg m) on models with drum front brakes, and 150 lb ft (20.7 kg m) on models with disc front brakes. Align the nut to the next split pin hole, if necessary.